A demolition contractor has been found guilty for multiple safety failings across two separate sites in southern England.

Scot Ian Richardson, of Aztec Demolition, was found guilty of two breaches of the CDM Regulations 2007, one breach of The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and one breach of The Health and Safety at Work Act etc,1974 at Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court.

He was sentenced to four months suspended custodial sentence, 200 hours of community service and ordered to pay £1,200 in costs.

In March 2014, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) received a complaint from a member of the public concerning activities taking place at the former Chesham Community Hospital site in Buckinghamshire.

When inspectors arrived, they discovered a catalogue of failings including the presence of asbestos containing materials among building debris, demolition arrangements not recorded in writing, and witness accounts of dangerous practises including unsafe work at height and use of construction machinery, poor site security and a lack of welfare facilities.

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HSE was also of the opinion there was the potential for a serious risk of injury from collapse of partially demolished buildings.

Prohibition and Improvement Notices were served immediately on both the contractor, Mr Richardson, and the client, Chesham Care Ltd.

Chesham Care was subsequently prosecuted for failings under the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM) and fined £30,000 in October 2015.

While attempts were made by HSE to contact Mr Richardson, an inspector was alerted to unsafe working practices at a site in Stevenage, Hertfordshire in June 2015.

Upon attending, the HSE inspector found the same contractor in control of workers unsafely dismantling parts of the building to recover recyclables, such as metal. In addition, No risk assessment had been done regarding respiratory exposure to asbestos containing materials.

The client told HSE the contractor was working without their knowledge on the site and had alerted the police.

Immediate enforcement action was taken on site to control risks and a private investigator was eventually used to track down Mr Richardson.

HSE inspector Rauf Ahmed said: "Sole traders who control workers to demolish and dismantle structures must understand their legal obligations. This is a high risk industry in which poor planning has no place. Family members expect their loved ones to come home in one piece.

"Clients have a key role in safely directing construction projects. Effective arrangements at the start can have an amplified positive impact down the various stages to completion, including making informed and competent appointments"

(LM/MH)